A known rack and pinion steering gear for use in turning steerable wheels of a vehicle includes a pinion which is disposed within a housing and which is operatively coupled with a vehicle steering wheel. A transversely extending rack is also disposed within the housing and is in meshing engagement with the pinion. Rotation of the steering wheel produces linear movement of the rack which causes the steerable wheels to turn laterally of the vehicle.
In the known rack and pinion steering gear, a yoke presses the rack into engagement with the pinion. The yoke is typically secured in the housing by a yoke plug which screws into the housing over an outboard end of the yoke. A helical spring is disposed between the yoke plug and the yoke to ensure firm meshing engagement between teeth on the rack and teeth on the pinion.
Various methods have been proposed for retaining the yoke plug in the housing in order to maintain the position of the yoke against the rack inside the housing.